Harley-Davidson closing Kansas plant

[SportsterDoc]

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/ne...yptr=yahoo

[Guth_imp]

Wow. It's hard to imagine HD making the long term transition from their current old school V-Twin vibe of today to the electric bikes of the future with anywhere near the amount of marketing-driven success that they've enjoyed so far. It seems really weird to even think about to be honest.

[VLJ_imp]

When I was at the gas station yesterday, a Harley rider came over and complimented my new CB.

That was the first time a Harley guy ever went out of his way to give one of my Japanese bikes a compliment.

[SportsterDoc]

Wow. It's hard to imagine HD making the long term transition from their current old school V-Twin vibe of today to the electric bikes of the future with anywhere near the amount of marketing-driven success that they've enjoyed so far. It seems really weird to even think about to be honest.

Augment, not replace.

When I operated an electric motor rewind shop (1979-1983), I worked on designing an electric M/C to commute from home to the shop.

Intended to use a CB350 frame, tires, brakes, etc., but could not find the room to mount enough batteries.

Batteries have come a long way since then!

When I was at the gas station yesterday, a Harley rider came over and complimented my new CB.

That was the first time a Harley guy ever went out of his way to give one of my Japanese bikes a compliment.

Plenty of H-D riders/former riders have ridden Hondas, Yamahas, Kawasakis, maybe even Suzukis.

I loved my two Sportsters, but they were the last two years of the lighter weight frames with rigid mounted motors. The heavier rubber mounts are OK, but when H-D dropped the normal height Sportsters for super low models, with terrible lean angles, they lost a customer. Still a fan of the normal height models.

[the Ferret]

The electric bike they previewed a year or two was pretty nice looking.

[redbirds_imp]

Seems I recall the Kansas City plant is where the 500 and 750 water cooled twins are assembled and dealers around here can hardly give them away.

[the Ferret]

Oh yea, I think you are right redbirds.

[Banned_imp]

I know the owner of the local Harley shop, it has been open since 1968 (he took it over from his father) and like most older shops it is a multi-line dealer. Two years ago Harley HQ told him he had to build a stand alone building just for HD (this would mean he would need to maintain two buildings, staff, etc). He purchased the land next to him and cleared it last fall, construction was to start this spring.

As a fellow businessman and friend I told him I didn't think it was a good idea in this current sales climate, he agreed but HD gave him no choice - stand alone building or lose your dealership. Luckily just before Christmas Harley gave him the ok to suspend those plans, he didn't tell me the reason that they gave.

I think he dodged a huge bullet.

[VLJ_imp]

Except that he'd already been forced to purchase and clear the piece of land next to his shop.

Yeah, thanks a bunch, Harley.

[Rocky_imp]

I know the owner of the local Harley shop, it has been open since 1968 (he took it over from his father) and like most older shops it is a multi-line dealer. Two years ago Harley HQ told him he had to build a stand alone building just for HD (this would mean he would need to maintain two buildings, staff, etc). He purchased the land next to him and cleared it last fall, construction was to start this spring.

As a fellow businessman and friend I told him I didn't think it was a good idea in this current sales climate, he agreed but HD gave him no choice - stand alone building or lose your dealership. Luckily just before Christmas Harley gave him the ok to suspend those plans, he didn't tell me the reason that they gave.

I think he dodged a huge bullet.

The same thing happened to our local Honda dealer several years ago who also sold several makes - Japanese and BMW.
Move the H-D operation to a separate building, install a wall to divide H-D from everything else, and with a separate entrance, or expand the building. Do it or lose the H-D franchise.
They had no choice and moved to another building.